Aeros Gameday

Published on November 4, 2006 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Houston Aeros News Release


Seven things you need to know
- Aeros third-year G Josh Harding ranks first in the AHL in games played (11), minutes (643), shots faced (318) and saves (291). He has a whopping 89 more saves than the second place netminder, Chicago's Michael Garnett. Harding ranks tied for 17th in gaa (2.52) and 17th in save pct (.915). Harding's 11 consecutive games played are the most for an Aeros goalie since Mike Smith's franchise record of 19, set from November 26, 2004, to January 25, 2005, while Harding was injured. Harding has played all but 21 of the Aeros' 665 minutes in goal. The AHL record for most games played by a goalie in one season is 74 - set by Baltimore's Mike O'Neill in 1995-96. O'Neill also made an AHL record 2,005 saves that season. Harding has been especially stellar lately, with a 2.04 gaa in his last six games. However, he is 2-3-0 with a no decision in that span.
- Houston ranks 11th in the AHL on the penalty kill at 85.7 percent, but the Aeros killed off 22-of-23 shorthanded chances (95.7 percent) on their four-game homestand. They are 34-for-37 (91.9 percent) on the PK in the last six games. Tonight Houston faces a Hamilton power play ranked 27th and last in the AHL at 8.7 percent. The Bulldogs are 0-for-24 on the power play in their last four games.
- Fourteen of Houston's 29 goals have been scored by rookies. Aeros LW Benoit Pouliot and RW Danny Irmen have five goals apiece to tie for second in the AHL in rookie goals.
- After scoring Houston's lone goal last night, RW Matt Foy needs two more points to become the 24th player in Aeros history to reach the 100-point plateau. Foy has 98 points (42-56=98) in 180 games with Houston. Wednesday, Foy played in his 200th pro game, counting 21 with NHL Minnesota. Game No. 199 was memorable for Foy, who recorded two goals and two assists in Saturday's 7-1 win over Peoria. Foy matched career-highs in goals and points while scoring two of Houston's three PPG's.
- All but two of Houston's 11 games have been decided by one or two goals. That includes six one-goal games, and a trio of two-goal games that were essentially one goal games, plus an empty net tally.
- This isn't exactly a typical back-to-back game for the Aeros, who arrived at Bush Intercontinental Airport this morning just after 5 a.m. However, Houston has two of its three wins, and five of its seven standings points (2-1-0-1), when playing the second game of a back-to-back. The other two wins came 10/21 in Grand Rapids and 10/28 at home versus Peoria.
- The Aeros are just 1-5-0-0 in their last six trips to Canada, counting Toronto, Hamilton and Manitoba. Houston's lone win in that span was a 3-2 decision in Winnipeg in its last trip, 11/18/05. Houston went 0-2-0-0 in Ontario last season against the Marlies and Bulldogs.

Aeros at Bulldogs (Aeros are 2-1-0-0 all-time, Aeros are 0-1-0-0 at Hamilton)
- Tonight is the fourth all-time regular season meeting between the teams - the second at Copps Coliseum.
- The Aeros and Bulldogs met in a memorable 2003 Calder Cup Finals, with Houston prevailing in seven games. Houston went 2-2 at Copps Coliseum, winning Game 7 by a 3-0 score in front of 17,428 fans 6/12/03.
- Game 2 of the 2003 Calder Cup Finals was the longest game in AHL history when Hamilton's Michael Ryder, now a Dallas Star, ended it at 14:56 of the fourth overtime.
- Members of the Aeros' championship team still with the organization are D Curtis Murphy, D Erik Reitz, G Dieter Kochan, assistant coaches Matt Shaw and Cam Stewart, athletic trainer Jerry Meins and equipment manager Rick Bronwell. No Bulldogs remain from 2003.
- Hamilton handed Houston its worst loss of the 2005-06 season, 7-1, at Copps Coliseum 12/10, as six different Bulldogs recorded two points apiece.
- The Aeros defeated the Bulldogs 2-1 at Toyota Center 10/27 behind goals from rookie LW's Benoit Pouliot and Ryan Hamilton and 20 saves from G Josh Harding.

Scouting the Aeros
The Aeros (3-7-0-1), who arrived at Bush Intercontinental Airport this morning just after 5 a.m., begin a four-game road trip tonight...Houston is in Iowa next Thursday and Friday before finishing off the stretch 11/15 with their first trip to Milwaukee...RW Matt Foy leads the Aeros in scoring with nine points (4-5=9), ahead of rookie RW Danny Irmen (5-2=7)...D Curtis Murphy paces the blueline with five points (2-3=5)...G Josh Harding is 2-7-1 with a 2.52 gaa and a .915 save pct. this season...G Dieter Kochan was signed to a 2006-07 AHL contract last month and earned the shootout win in relief of Harding in his only appearance, in Grand Rapids, on 10/21...Kochan made two saves in regulation and OT, then stopped four-of-seven shots in the shootout...The veteran netminder was a member of the Aeros' 2003 Calder Cup title team...Rookie G Tony Quesada, a Holy Cross product, has backed up Harding in the last four games.

Scouting the Bulldogs
Hamilton (4-6-0-0) has won back-to-back games for the first time this season after earning a 5-2 home win over Syracuse last night to begin a three-game homestand...RW Matt D'Agostoni (2-1=3) and C Maxim Lapierre (1-2=3) each tallied three points, while G Yann Danis made 32 saves...Lapierre (4-7=11) paces the Bulldogs in scoring, just ahead of D'Agostoni (4-3=7), C Corey Locke (4-3=7) and RW Duncan Milroy (4-3=7) ...D Mathieu Roy (1-5=6) and D Andre Benoit (1-3=4) lead the blueline corps...Danis is 3-4-0 with a 3.75 gaa and a .884 save pct., while G Jaroslav Halak is 1-2-0 with a 2.01 gaa and a .935 save pct.

2006-07 meetings (2nd of 2 meetings, Aeros are 1-0-0-0 overall, First meeting at Hamilton)
October 27 Hamilton 1 at Houston 2
Tonight Houston at Hamilton

Friday's game
Justin Pogge stopped 36 shots and Jeremy Williams snapped a tie midway through the second period, as the Toronto Marlies held off the Houston Aeros 2-1 at Toyota Center. Colin Murphy scored an early goal on a breakaway for Toronto, which had lost two of three. Matt Foy scored a goal and Josh Harding made 24 saves for Houston (3-7-0-1), which went 2-2-0-0 on its four-game homestand.

Quick Hits
- One of the most recognizable faces in team history reached an important milestone 10/27, as Aeros veteran D Curtis Murphy played in his 600th regular season game as a professional. Murphy has posted 395 points (123-272=395) and 499 PIM's in 603 games in the American Hockey League, International Hockey League, the Russian Super League, and one National Hockey League game with the Minnesota Wild. His next penalty will put him over the 500-career PIM mark. Murphy is perhaps the most durable player in the AHL in the last 10 seasons. Counting the post-season, Murphy has played in 230 consecutive games since missing the 2003-04 season opener to attend Dan Snyder's funeral. He has played in 466 of a possible 467 games, counting both the regular and post-seasons, since the 2001-02 season. Murphy is the Aeros' all-time leader amongst defensemen in goals (51), assists (122) and points (173).
- Hamilton has scored first just twice in 10 games, but took a 3-0 lead on Syracuse last night.
- Houston rookie RW Danny Irmen has five points (3-2=5), including his first pro two goal game, and is plus-four in his last five games. Since going without a point in his first three games this season, Irmen has seven points (5-2=7) in eight games.
- After concluding a 2-2-0-0 homestand, Houston opens up a four-game, three-city road trip tonight. The Aeros had a five-game road trip in October - their only five games away from Toyota Center - and went 1-3-0-1. Houston did win its last road game, defeating Grand Rapids 4-3 in a shootout 10/21.

Power play update
- Houston is tied for 24th in the AHL with the man advantage at 10.8 percent.
- The Aeros are 5-for-22 on the power play (22.7 percent) in their last three games - the first time this season they've scored a PPG in three straight contests.
- Hamilton is 21st in the AHL on the penalty kill at 79.4 percent.
- The Bulldogs have killed off 29-of-36 shorthanded chances (80.6 percent) in their last four games.

Penalty kill update
- Houston is 11th this season on the PK at 85.7 percent.
- The Aeros killed off 22-of-23 shorthanded chances (95.7 percent) on their four-game homestand, and they are 34-for-37 (91.9 percent) on the PK in the last six games.
- Hamilton is 27th and last on the power play at 8.7 percent. The Bulldogs have also allowed four SHG to tie for the most in the league.
- The Bulldogs are a much improved 6-for-43 (14.0 percent) with the man advantage at Copps Coliseum. They are 0-for-26 on the road. Overall, Hamilton is 0-for-24 on the power play in its last four games.

Aeros/Bulldogs connections
- Bulldogs D Patrick Traverse spent the 2004-05 season with the Aeros.
- Aeros C Jason Morgan played parts of three seasons alongside Hamilton C Ajay Baines, in AHL Norfolk. Morgan played 11 games for Hamilton in 2000-01
- Houston D Shawn Belle, and Hamilton D Dan Jancevski, Hamilton D Patrick Traverse and Hamilton C Zack Stortini were teammates in 2005-06 with AHL Iowa.
- Hamilton C Corey Locke and Houston RW Matt Foy ranked first and second, respectively, in the Ontario Hockey League as linemates for Ottawa in the 2002-03 season. Locke led the team with 151 points (63-88=151), while Foy totaled 132 points (61-71=132).
- Hamilton RW Duncan Milroy, Aeros D Shawn Belle and Aeros C Alex Leavitt all hail from Edmonton, Alta.
- Hamilton LW Greg Stewart and Aeros assistant coach Cam Stewart are cousins and both hail from Kitchener, Ont. Stewart was assigned to ECHL Cincinnati last month.

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American Hockey League Stories from November 4, 2006


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